The War in Ukraine

[QualityChimp]

It's funny how many people online have changed from virologists to military experts.
"Your modern Russian M4128 would easily withstand an M-WAW rocket..."

[Neon Ignition]

I'm half expecting Russian forces to finally reach the centre of Kyiv just to see Zelenskiy step out to face them...

[fishbowlhead]

Reports coming in that Kyiv held off the offensive and used drones to take out most of the convoy. I hope its the case, Ukraine is absolutely kicking ass.

Edit: Seems as well that the convoy was in no way protected from the sky's. Which is nuts if true.

Seems the Russians got a serious bloody nose last night and this morning. If Ukraine keeps this up Russias troops will break soon.

[Wools]

It's funny how many people online have changed from virologists to military experts.
"Your modern Russian M4128 would easily withstand an M-WAW rocket..."

If you're on Twitter, I recomened following Dr Peter Caddick-Adams, who's a war studies professor and been fantastic voice during this invasion.

[briareos_kerensky]

It's like he's either been reading history books and thought 'you, the only thing wrong with Hitler was he wasn't Russian'

Looks like he skipped the parts about Finland and Afghanistan, or he thought the recent success in Siria could have been easily repeated anywhere else.

[Dogg Thang]

I still can't get my head around why Putin thinks this is a good time

Well it seems it isn't turning out to be a good idea at all but as for why it's a good time, I think it's possibly a whole bunch of factors and in part related to the energy crisis and following a pandemic. Countries are rattled, just at a point where they feel they can get back on their feet after the pandemic and I reckon that lack of a sure footing could create a perception that they would be reluctant to try to take on Russia in any direct way right now. Especially adding in some of the destabilising factors of some Western countries after the fallout of Trump and Brexit. The fact that people on Fox News are praising Putin shows just where we're at now and that's quite a different place to a decade ago, for example. And with the issues around energy and given that a load of it comes from Russia, I do wonder if he feels like he has more bargaining power than he actually has.

Although it may have been something that has been on the cards since he got away with Crimea.

[Neon Ignition]

Embedded Tweet

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/feb/28/russia-ukraine-war-latest-news-update-conflict-belarus-putin-nuclear-deterrence-order-kyiv-russian-invasion-live-updates?page=with:block-621c5c918f08219c41a74c5a#block-621c5c918f08219c41a74c5a

The Rouble crashed this morning to its all time lowest

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/feb/28/russia-ukraine-war-latest-news-update-conflict-belarus-putin-nuclear-deterrence-order-kyiv-russian-invasion-live-updates?page=with:block-621c657c8f0873d0384b2d17#block-621c657c8f0873d0384b2d17

Russia's transparently fake attempt at peace talks is now underway also

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/feb/28/russia-ukraine-war-latest-news-update-conflict-belarus-putin-nuclear-deterrence-order-kyiv-russian-invasion-live-updates?page=with:block-621c68a68f0873d0384b2d32#block-621c68a68f0873d0384b2d32

A new poll says 90% of Ukranians support Zelenskiy

[Asura]

Especially adding in some of the destabilising factors of some Western countries after the fallout of Trump and Brexit. The fact that people on Fox News are praising Putin shows just where we're at now and that's quite a different place to a decade ago, for example. And with the issues around energy and given that a load of it comes from Russia, I do wonder if he feels like he has more bargaining power than he actually has.

Agreed.

I'm seeing a lot of suggestions online to not think of this as a single event but part of an ongoing plan that started in around 2012; i.e. to destabilise the west through various means while increasing their dependency on Russian resources where possible, and resisting any NATO size increase. It includes all of the "information warfare" in which Russia has engaged (and no doubt other countries are engaging in too).

Like you've got people, Farage being a great example, saying this is all because NATO grew too much; prime example - politicians with big Russian donors who are fully aware that if the public turns fully against Russia, and the full extent of Russian organised crime's involvement in the UK is known, then they'll be first "up against the wall" (metaphorically speaking here; I mean their careers will finally be over).

One of the points of the Mueller Report in the US was the belief that Putin's Russian administration does not consider national economics, government, civil defence/military actions and organised crime as separate things - all are part of a greater geopolitical strategy. So when a high-up Russian billionaire owns a Premier League football team; that's not just money, that's Russia exerting political influence.

I mean for ****'s sake; all those donations to political parties from Russian sources; they weren't no strings attached.

[Cassius_Smoke]

How long can a war go on if you can't pay your soldiers or financially keep the industrial war machine going?

Also, **** Belarus. You want to join this party too, because your economy will be in the **** too.

[fishbowlhead]

How long can a war go on if you can't pay your soldiers or financially keep the industrial war machine going?

Also, **** Belarus. You want to join this party too, because your economy will be in the **** too.

If troops aren’t being paid or even supplied fuel & food, and its still costing Russia an estimated £15b a day, not long.

[Neon Ignition]

How in hell does Russia plan on holding Ukraine even if they take it?

[Cassius_Smoke]

How in hell does Russia plan on holding Ukraine even if they take it?

They can't. Putin is too stubborn to back down. If he claims the country the sanction don't go away. His country is still ****ed and gorilla war will still be raging.

[MartyG]

It's funny how many people online have changed from virologists to military experts.
"Your modern Russian M4128 would easily withstand an M-WAW rocket..."

Twitter is the worse place to take information from - one reason why I'm not keen in seeing so much of it quoted in this thread as if it's fact.

[QualityChimp]

Twitter is the worse place to take information from - one reason why I'm not keen in seeing so much of it quoted in this thread as if it's fact.

Totally agree. You'll never see me quoting Twitter.

I'm seeing a lot of suggestions online to not think of this as a single event but part of an ongoing plan that started in around 2012; i.e. to destabilise the west through various means while increasing their dependency on Russian resources where possible, and resisting any NATO size increase. It includes all of the "information warfare" in which Russia has engaged (and no doubt other countries are engaging in too).

Interesting read from Carole Cadwalladr about this on, erm, Twitter.

Embedded Tweet

Genuinely surprised she's not fallen under a bus or been prodded with a poisoned umbrella as she's pushing some very powerful people.

[Neon Ignition]

Twitter is a bit like an info dump. It carries a higher risk of misinformation but atm the situation is moving so fast that a lot gets missed if sticking just to the regular news sites.